Exemplary embodiments pertain to the art of electric machines and, more particularly, to an electric machine having an integrated vibration sensor.
Electric machines produce work from electrical energy passing through a stator to induce an electro-motive force in a rotor. The electro-motive force creates a rotational force at the rotor. The rotation of the rotor is used to power various external devices. Of course, electric machines can also be employed to produce electricity from a work input. In either case, electric machines are currently producing greater outputs at higher speeds and are being designed in smaller packages. The higher power densities and speeds often result in harsh operating conditions such as high internal temperatures, vibration and the like. Accordingly, many conventional electric machines include sensors that monitor, for example stator temperature, housing temperature, vibration, and the like. The sensors typically take the form of external sensors that are mounted to a housing of the electric machine. The sensors include a separate wiring harness that is coupled to, for example, a controller that reads and/or records sensed data.